The Magician from Sachaka
by Rilawa
Summary: Years after the Ichani Invasion, Sonea's daughter is about to join the Guild when she finds out something that sends her world spinning out of balance. This leads to her making decisions which have some very unexpected and far-reaching consequences. Read on for more.
1. Unexpected Events

Springtime in Imardin was, in many people's opinions, the best time of year. This was particularly evident in the Guild, where the infusion of magic in the air along with the fresh breath of the new year brought out the finest blooms and trees in all Kyralia. As flowers danced and birds overhead darted and swooped, the trees, gnarled, old giants and fresh, young saplings stretched out their arms to the pale, yellow sun shining in the sky above them. As Melissa stepped out of the stables, shielding her eyes with one hand and leading her horse, Chesa, with the other, she could have sworn it had increased its brilliance tenfold in the few minutes she had been inside.

She did not shrink from its heated light, fearful for her complexion like so many female novices were, but spread out her arms wide so her body could soak up as much sun as it wanted. After a little while, she gathered the reins up in her fist and clicked her tongue at Chesa, who moved forward so her mistress had only to cling to the saddle and pull herself up. Melissa clicked again, twice this time, and Chesa immediately broke into a trot. They made a striking pair as they rode through the grounds in the direction of the Healers' Quarters: the small girl with her long silken black curls bouncing around her face, sitting confidently atop the magnificent brown mare who placed her hooves with the precision and accuracy of a thoroughbred.

Melissa gently nudged the horse's flanks; Chesa obediently changed the trot to a canter and then, when she felt Melissa ram the stirrups into her side, broke into a full gallop. Melissa's long hair streamed out behind her, rippling like a black waterfall. The merest tug on the reins brought Chesa to a halt as they arrived at the main door of the Healers' Quarters. To her delight, Melissa saw a familiar green-robed figure exit the building. They locked eyes.

"Lady Kalia!" Melissa exclaimed.

The Healer smiled back at her. "Good morning, Melissa. You look pretty well-rested today. As opposed to me."

Kalia gestured to the shadows beneath her eyes. Melissa grimaced in sympathy.

"Couldn't you have Healed the sleeplessness away?" she asked.

"Yes, I could," Kalia replied. "But I prefer real sleep as a remedy. And anyway, I'm completely drained after last night. I can't even make a globe light at the moment."

"Is my mother still there?" Melissa asked, referring to the hospital that had been set up in the slums, commandeered by Sonea. Kalia had come there when she was fifteen and magical potential had been found. Facing opposition from a steadily decreasing faction of snobbish magicians, she had immediately joined the Guild.

"Yes," said Kalia now. "None of us can wait till Lord Darlen has healed, what with the number of dwells coming in everyday. But you know broken bones; they hate being rushed."

"I don't think Mama minds," said Melissa. "She gets to help more dwells this way. Though she did say we'd better think about building another slum hospital soon."

"That would be a welcome relief," muttered Kalia. She attempted to hide a yawn behind her hand but Melissa wasn't fooled.

"Well, I'd better get going, my lady. I only came this way because I was hoping my mother would be back. Good morning."

"Good bye, Melissa," answered Kalia. "Am I right in thinking that you're going to meet that that Thief friend of yours in the slums again?"

"Harry, yes," smiled Melissa. "And he's not a Thief."

"Not yet," said Kalia. "Give him time. And I think your mother will have left the hospital by now so you should take that route if you want to see her."

"Thanks, I will," called Melissa as she turned Chesa around and galloped out of the Guild grounds into the city.

Outside the North Quarter gates she slowed as she came in sight of the hospital which had been established by her mother thirteen years ago, just a few months before Melissa's birth. As she had hoped, she soon spotted a ring composed of the assorted red, purple and green robes of the magicians escorting her mother, a slight figure in black in their midst.

Sonea's head snapped up as she heard the horse's feet approach. A welcoming smile lit up her features when she saw the rider.

"Melissa," she said warmly.

"Mama," Melissa replied as she nimbly dismounted and walked through the throng of magicians around her mother who parted to give her space.

"Where are you going?" asked Sonea. "I gave you those history books to read because I thought you were going to stay at home today."

"I was," said Melissa. "But after breakfast I got a message from Harry. It sounded pretty urgent since he wanted me to come right away. I came looking for you to get permission, Mama."

"How long will it take?" asked Sonea.

"About an hour."

"Alright then," said Sonea. "You can go but hurry."

"I will. Thanks, Mama," said Melissa, giving her mother's hand a squeeze before going back to Chesa.

As she rode away she glanced back over her shoulder. The magicians had resumed walking. Sonea was gazing over her shoulder at Melissa. Melissa thought she could make out tiny worry lines on her mother's brow. She didn't have any time to think about it however, for at that moment she had to steer Chesa away from a group of children kicking a ball around

Five minutes later they cantered to a stop outside a bolhouse in the better part of the slums. The sign giving its name, the Merry Magician, creaked lustily in the wind as Melissa jumped off Chesa and signaled to a passing stable boy who immediately took the reins and led Chesa off to a stall.

Melissa entered the building and looked around for an empty table. She spotted one in a corner and made towards it, pausing to grab a mug of bol from a waitress' tray. As the woman started to protest, Melissa took a step forward so a beam of sunlight coming into the dim bolhouse lit up her face. The waitress stopped her tirade and gulped. She stepped back hastily as Melissa advanced past her to the table.

During the encounter, a boy in his late teens had grabbed a chair at it and made no attempt to move as Melissa approached. Then he looked up into her face and his own turned stark white and he made a choking noise at the back of his throat. He hurriedly scrambled to his feet and scuttled away like a frightened crab.

Melissa smiled as she sat down in the vacated seat. Being friends with a Thief's son certainly had its advantages, she thought as she tossed a coin towards the waitress as payment for the bol( the man who had ordered it on the first place had made no complaint).

Speaking of which… Melissa frowned as she scanned the late morning crowds for Harry's face and did not see it. A hand touching her shoulder made her start and she nearly slopped bol over herself as she spun around. When she saw the hand's owner she felt her face break into a smile.

"About time you showed up," she said nonchalantly as Harry sat down in the chair opposite her and plonked his boots up on the table. None of the waiters or the barman complained. Everyone in the neighbourhood knew that Harry's father Ceryni was head of the Thieves in that area as well as other parts of the slums. The Thief was known to be very disagreeable to anyone who crossed him or any of his kin, which included Harry, Melissa and Sonea, whom Cery had once loved and was still good friends with, although they hardly ever saw each other.

Harry shrugged. "Not my fault. Da kept me back for something."

"You're the one who wanted the meeting," Melissa reminded him. "And Mama wants me back in an hour so hurry up with it."

"You told her it would take just an hour?" gaped Harry.

Melissa blinked. "Sure, I thought it would."

"But-Mels-" said Harry, "it's gonna take at least two."

"Why?" asked Melissa. "What are you talking about?"

"I don't know how to explain it," said Harry. "Cery'll be able to do it better-c'mon-" "Harry, what-?"Melissa began. That was all she had time to say before Harry took her hand and tugged her through the crowd of dirty, unwashed bodies and stale, musty air to the large, busy but open street outside where he let go of her hand, to her slight irritation.

"We're going to meet your da?" she asked.

"Yeah," said Harry. "You'll see why when we get there." He started off at a brisk walk and she had no option but to follow.

They walked for about ten minutes through the darker back alleys, taking a few short cuts over tin roofs under which the occupants were too busy and tired to protest. The houses, the streets and the people became smaller, smellier and dingier as they progressed further into the slums. The lanes turned into muddy paths and garbage lined them as hedges did the paths in the Guild. Finally, they stopped by a house into whose low wall a grille had been set. Harry pushed it open with his foot and they clambered down onto the Thieves' Road.


	2. The Knife and the Book

It was long and dark, the only illumination coming from a torch set into the wall right next to a separate passage branching away in another direction. As they stepped forward, a shadow seemed to detach itself from the walls and came to stand beside them. Melissa stiffened in surprise, then relaxed; she recognized the large man as Gol, Ceryni's bodyguard. Though he seemed to spend more time these days keeping an eye on Harry.

"Harrel," grunted Gol in his deep, low voice. "Hurry up. Your da says he doesn't have all day."

"You know that's a lie, Gol," said Harry. "And anyway, Melissa's not used to coming here the usual way so we had to take the long cut."

"Tell that to your da, not me," replied Gol as he led them down the road to the side passage.

Harry shook his head as they turned down it. "Dwells these days," he said to Melissa. "Don't know anything about showing respect. I dare you to find a single urchin in our pay who won't backchat if he got the chance."

"Well, you definitely give them plenty," she replied.

He narrowed his eyes at her. "What's that mean?" he demanded.

She rolled her eyes, hiding a snigger at the same time. "Never mind," she said, speeding up to walk beside Gol, who was so vast he barely left any space between himself and the wall for her to squeeze into.

They proceeded down the passageway at the bottom of the stairs for some time. Suddenly, Gol stopped in front of a stretch of brick wall which seemed no different from the others. He reached out and tapped a non-descript brick; it gave way, along with about twenty others, revealing yet another passage behind it. At the far end was a door with two torches in brackets burning on either side of it. Gol stepped aside as first Harry, then Melissa stepped through the gap in the wall before following them inside. On the other side he worked a lever which used some kind of mechanism to noiselessly, if shakily, slide the bricks back to their original position.

Melissa shifted her gaze from the moving wall to the door which Harry had reached and was rapping on smartly. A panel near the top slid aside and a pair of dark eyes glared out. When they saw Harry, the panel slid back and the door swung open, not revealing the person behind it.

Melissa followed Harry into a little room, unfurnished except for a table and chair, and shivered; despite the heat of the sun on the on the streets above, the room was quite cold.

Harry turned to her. "Sorry, Mels," he said apologetically. "You'll have to wait here, just in case Da's got someone with him."

"I don't mind, Harry" she replied.

"Won't be long," he promised. "Gol will be outside if you want anything." He exited through the door at the other end.

Melissa turned around and started with surprise; she had forgotten about the door- opener. He stood in front of her now, surveying her with a beady eye.

"Is there anything you want?" he asked.

"No," she replied. The man gave her a cursory nod, then turned and walked out the door, pulling it shut behind him. Melissa heard him talking to Gol as she sat down in the chair and tilted it back.

She noticed a drawer in the desk. It was slightly ajar. She hadn't even known the desk had a drawer. The desk belonged to Harry and Melissa knew he wouldn't mind if she looked inside, as he kept anything important in his rooms. She tugged it open and picked up a blank piece of paper. Turning it over, she was startled to see a very familiar face looking back at her. But Harry looked much older in this picture and-her puzzlement turned to bewilderment- he was standing next to a young woman Melissa had never seen before and the woman was holding a beaming baby in her arms. The baby had thick black hair and Harry's black eyes; in a flash, Melissa realized that the baby was Harry and the parents smiling over him were his real parents, Ceryni's half-brother and his wife who had tragically drowned in the Tarali River twelve years before. Cery had immediately taken in his infant orphaned nephew and raised him as his own son, changing his name to Harrel. Melissa had met Harrel, who was a year younger than her, when she was four. She had found Harrel too much of a mouthful and had called him Harry instead. The nickname stuck.

The door opened that Harry had gone through. Ceryni stepped into the room. His skin was pale and there were dark circles under his eyes. His hair stuck up in all directions and there was a dark shadow of stubble on his chin. A thin layer of dirt covered his clothes. He looked as if he hadn't slept at all for the past twenty-four hours.

He walked towards the table, Harry right behind him. Melissa got up and moved to the other side of the table. Cery took the chair as Harry called in a man who was holding two more. He set them down, bobbed his head at Cery and left the room. Cery looked at Melissa and wordlessly gestured at one of the chairs; she took it as Harry sat down in the other.

"So," said Melissa, "what was it you asked me here for, Harry?"

"It was Da's idea," said Harry. "Ask him."

Cery leant forward. "I'll get straight to the point," he said briskly. "We put a tag on a Sachakan merchant who unwisely threatened a shop owner in our pay. One of our messengers paid him a visit and brought away several valuable looking items. Two of them were these."

Out of one of his vast coat pockets he slipped out two objects. One was a leather bound book, handsome but unremarkable. It was the other object that captivated Melissa and drew out a gasp of surprise from her. It was a long, gleaming knife whose hilt was inlaid with so many precious stones it seemed to glow with all the colours of the rainbow, plus countless others. It was beautiful.

She reached out and picked it up, gingerly fingering the hilt. She turned it over; her finger accidentally touched the blade. She felt a small but sharp pain as the metal cut through her skin. Even as she dropped the knife Cery's hand flashed seemingly out of nowhere and caught it by the hilt. Harry grasped her wrist and turned her hand over. The cut was on the tip of her index finger. It was barely visible but a tiny drop of blood oozed out and ran down the finger. Melissa pulled her hand out of Harry's grip and bit down on it, sucking the wound.

Cery set the knife down and looked at her. "You want to be careful with those," he said. "Very sharp. They have to be, because of the work they're used for."

"Which is?" Harry prompted.

Cery frowned at him, then said "Black magic."

Harry, who had been tilting his chair back, let it land on all four legs with a thud. Melissa used her feet to hastily push herself and her chair away from the table.

"Black magic?" she repeated. "How come a Sachakan merchant had it? Doesn't he know what it is?"

"He doesn't," answered Cery. "In Sachaka, only magicians know the ways and tools of their art so only one of them could have recognized it. Apparently, the merchant bought it years ago from a man who refused to say who he was. The man just took the money-not much by our standards- and practically ran away. The merchant kept it all this while because he wanted to be sure of getting a good price for it before selling it. He kept it until one day he got a golden opportunity to travel to Kyralia to sell his goods. So he brought this." Cery nodded towards the blade, a look of distaste on his face.

Melissa looked at it too. Now that she knew what it was, its beauty seemed far less alluring. It seemed more like the cruel, evil weapon it was. She knew exactly how it was used.

"They cut a person with one of those," she informed a dumbstruck Harry. "Then they draw the person's power out through the wound. That's all Mama would tell me."

"Well, I know exactly how it's done," said Cery. "It doesn't matter my knowing since I'm not a magician. But if Melissa knew," he added to his son, "she wouldn't be able to join the Guild. And I'm not going to tell you either. It's enough if you know how to recognize it."

"But how do you know, Da?" whispered Harry. "Who told you?"

"Savara," said Cery shortly. Melissa noticed his fist clench under the table. She knew exactly why the mention of Savara, the beautiful Sachakan magician who had been sent to Imardin thirteen years before, was painful to Cery. She had been instructed by her people, whom she had refused to name, to seek the help of a Thief on her mission to kill the Ichani slaves. The man she had picked was Cery. He had just acquired the status of Thief and had been dazzled by the enigmatic, playful young woman who finally showed her feelings for him the night Sonea first killed with black magic. After Akkarin's death, Savara had been ordered away from Kyralia but had gone with a promise to contact Cery soon. She never had, and although Cery had quickly gotten over his passionate feelings for her, the pain of her lie and betrayal had never left him. Neither had the feeling of anger which had instead grown with the years.

Melissa felt a stab of sympathy for Cery. It would have felt awful to have the woman he loved discard him. _But he's better off without her_, she thought. _She seems awful. And Mama had to go through much_ _worse when Akkarin died_. Melissa remembered the haunted look in Sonea's eyes whenever she spoke about Melissa's father. She shuddered and cast her eyes about for a change of topic. Her eyes fell on the leather book.

"So what's this?" she asked, picking it up.

"A book on black magic," Cery said. "That's why I wanted you to come here, Melissa. That book is very dangerous. There's not much chance of it falling into the wrong hands, especially hands that know black magic. Still, I'd rather not take any chances with it. I want you to give it to your mother. And tell her not to read it. She knows only basic black magic. That book has much more. I don't think the other magicians would like it much."

"They wouldn't," Melissa confirmed. "But Cery, why not bring it to the Guild yourself? Or send it?"

"Like I said, I don't want to take chances with it falling into the wrong hands," replied Cery. "And that's basically anybody. Also, the Guild and the Thieves may have a truce but I still don't trust them much. Except for you and your mother," he added smiling as Melissa opened her mouth indignantly. She closed it again, then looked down at the book and nodded.

"I'll get it to Mama safely," she promised. "But I warn you, the other Higher Magicians will want to see it as well."

"I don't mind that," replied Cery. "So long as you don't show them how you got here, I'm even okay with a truth read."

"Uh, about that," began Melissa. "I'm not too good at hiding stuff in my head at the moment so Cery, I-"

She was interrupted by guffaws as both Cery and Harry choked with laughter. "Just kidding," said Cery apologetically. Then he turned serious again. "I really don't mind you showing them Melissa, because this is a room built specially for meeting magicians. They know it exists, and the way, so feel free to let them do a truth read if they don't believe you."

"Um, okay," said Melissa uncertainly, getting to her feet.

Harry followed suit. Cery handed Melissa the little book which she pocketed. Then they all left the room, Cery through the door to the room beyond and Melissa and Harry into the passage. Gol nodded to the doorman before following them.

They retraced their steps to the grille. This time Gol came through too, albeit with a little difficulty. They made their way back to the Merry Magician where Melissa tipped the stable boy who had taken Chesa and mounted her. Then only did she remember the jewelled knife.

"What are you going to do with the knife?" she asked Harry.

He shrugged. "Sell off the stones, probably. See you then, Melissa," giving her one of his grins.

"Bye, Harry," she said, smiling in return. "See you, Gol."

"Safe travels, Miss Melissa," grunted Gol.

Melissa turned Chesa around and urged her into a canter. She slipped a finger into her pocket and fingered the book. Her mother was about to get a huge surprise.


	3. The Diary

"A book on black magic?" said Sonea, shocked. "That's what Harry called you for? To give you that?"

"Well, he wasn't the one who exactly asked me there, Mama…" began Melissa. When she finished the story ten minutes later, Sonea's face was pale and she stared at the book lying on the table between them. She picked it up and examined; then, closing her eyes, she sent out a mental call.

_-Osen!_

_-Sonea?_

_-I need you to call a meeting of the Higher Magicians right away._

_-Why?_

Sonea could sense the confusion and curiosity behind Osen's question. She paused for a second before answering:

_-Black magic._

She felt an immediate flood of emotions from the presence in her mind. She registered shock, fear and bewilderment in one rush.

_-What?_ Osen said urgently. _What did you do?_

_-Nothing! _Sonea sent back indignantly. _I'll explain it to all the Higher Magicians at once. It'll be better that way._

She felt a tinge of doubt from the man's mind.

_-Very well,_ he sent. _I'll contact them all now and send you a message later._

_-That will be fine, Osen. Thank you._

Sonea opened her eyes. Melissa looked at her from across the table. Her eyes were wide with excitement and apprehension.

Sonea swallowed. People often said Melissa was the spitting image of her mother. They were might look like Sonea and even have inherited most of her traits, but she was not just like Sonea. The dark eyes which now held Sonea's gaze had done the same thing with her many years ago, before Melissa was born. The same eyes in a different face, a face Sonea had last seen in the flesh at his funeral, before the flames licked it up. She had not cried then but she had later that evening in her bed, and for many nights afterward. The eyes Akkarin had given his daughter were only different in that, in his face, they had shown dislike, love, hate, worry… but Sonea had never seen them display the same emotions that shone in Melissa's eyes now. Sonea felt a great surge of love for her daughter as she looked at her, a feeling only heightened as she remembered the slightly guilty look Melissa had on her face as Sonea opened her eyes, a sure sign she had been listening in on the conversation. It was the sort of thing Akkarin would have done.

"What now, Mama?" asked Melissa before Sonea could open her mouth. The latter smiled and fondled one of Melissa's tresses.

"You'll have to come to the meeting with me and explain everything," she said. "They'll want to hear it from you, not me."

"Will they do a truth-read?" asked Melissa. Sonea nodded. Melissa sighed.

"I was afraid of that," she said glumly.

Sonea knew what was bothering her. "Don't worry, sweetie," she said reassuringly. "Cery knew what he was doing."

"Guess so," said Melissa.

Sonea felt a stab from something unpleasant as she remembered something she'd been meaning to talk to Melissa about.

"'Lissa," she said, sitting beside her daughter on the couch and gathering her into her arms, "how often do you go to the Merry Magician now?"

Melissa blinked, obviously surprised by the strange question. "Every Freeday," she answered.

"What do you do there?"

"Uh, meet Harry, have some bol, then go to the Races or something."

"Is that all?"

"What else should there be?"

Sonea remained silent as she wondered how to approach the issue. She decided on plain speaking, as that was what Melissa preferred.

"It's about your behavior at the bolhouse," she said.

Melissa stared up in confusion and dismay. "What do you mean, Mama?"

"Well, the people there have been complaining you…well… throw your weight around too much."

"But I don't!"

"Darling," said Sonea gently, "that's how you see it. You have connections with a Thief and people seem to favour you. You've gotten too used to people listening to you and never speaking against you, so you've started to misuse those privileges. Not knowingly," she said hastily. "You didn't know what you were doing. Now that you do, I know it won't happen again."

"It won't, Mama," Melissa said. Her voice sounded so small that Sonea held her closer.

"It's not just that it's unfair on the dwells," she went on, though she hated having to do so. "It's what they think of you too. You're going to join the Guild in a few months. You're already seen as someone not very likeable. It's not true and I'm not saying it is," she added forcefully. "But if you become a magician with those qualities, people will hate you, the way dwells used to hate the Guild when I was a child. And those kind of habits are harder to break as you get older."

"I understand, Mama," said Melissa. There wasn't a trace of a wobble in her voice. "I'll be better from now on. Promise."

"And I know you'll keep that promise," murmured Sonea, dropping a kiss on Melissa's forehead. The little girl made a disgusted face but Sonea knew her daughter enjoyed immensely these quality moments between the two of them. A knock on the door interrupted it. Sonea willed the door open. Takan, Akkarin's old servant, entered bearing several dishes making up their midday meal. Sonea and Melissa sat down next to each other and began to eat.

"Are you feeling nervous?" Sonea asked. It was shortly before dusk and they were heading down the path towards the High Lord's Residence.

"A bit," Melissa admitted.

They passed two male novices who hastily stepped aside for them and bowed to Sonea as she passed. One boy smiled at Melissa but his friend nudged him hard in the ribs with a startled glance at Sonea.

Melissa smiled at the boys, vaguely recognizing them as two of last year's winter intake of novices. She was not surprised that they were intimidated by Sonea's presence. Her small stature and big-eyed, pretty face belied her formidable reputation. She had been the only one to believe High Lord Akkarin when he explained the reasons for which he learnt black magic. As his novice and also one of the three people who knew his secret, Sonea had been told his story of capture, imprisonment, life as an Ichani slave and escape to the Guild. Not only had she sympathized with him but she had offered to learn black magic so that should anything happen to him, she would be able to continue his mission. When Akkarin had been charged with the murder of another magician and learning black magic, Sonea had stood staunchly by him as he admitted to the latter charge and refused her own offer of staying back in the Guild, opting to go into exile in Sachaka with Akkarin. Along the way, she had fallen in love with him and he admitted to falling for her long before that. This had resulted in Melissa's birth a few months after the Ichani Invasion and Akkarin's death. Sonea had been pardoned and accepted back into the Guild under the title of Black Magician. Should Kyralia ever face a threat from black magic again, it would be her duty to teach a select group of magicians the art and lead them into battle against the invaders. Naturally strong enough to let her powers surface on their own, Sonea's reserves of magical strength were huge and with her black robes and history, she seemed quite formidable to anyone who didn't know her… like the two novices.

As they passed out of earshot, Sonea sighed and said "Don't be. All you have to do is tell the story and let me handle the rest. Let Osen or Vinara perform the truth-read, then when they dismiss you go back to our rooms and read those last few books."

"Last few books. Thanks for reminding me," Melissa said glumly as they reached the High Lord's Residence and Sonea tapped on the door. It swung open immediately, revealing a guestroom filled with magicians.

Several globe lights hovered near the ceiling, shedding light on their faces. High Lord Balkan stood out starkly in his white robes. Director Jerrik wore his usual frown. Lord Peakin, Head of Alchemy, acknowledged them with a respectful nod. Lord Rothen, Head of Alchemic Studies, and the other two Heads of Studies did likewise, Rothen adding a smile. Sonea returned it. Rothen had been her first guardian, her mentor and friend when she first joined the Guild. He had been the father she had never had, as her own father had left her when she was a baby.

Adminstrator Osen and Lady Vinara also smiled at Sonea. All the magicians' expressions changed to surprise, however, when Melissa stepped into the room beside her mother and pulled the door shut behind her. She half-hid behind Sonea's robes as the magicians looked towards her mother for an explanation.

Balkan stepped forward.

"Black Magician," he said.

Sonea inclined her head politely. "High Lord."

"Normally I would ask right away why you requested this meeting," Balkan went on, "but as Lord Garrel is inconveniently late, I shall postpone that question. However, I wish to know immediately why you have brought your daughter here."

"High Lord," Sonea replied, "I brought Melissa because she plays a key role in this story. It was she who brought this book-" she held up the leather bound book "-to me. It contains information on black magic."

There were gasps all around. Several people paled. Balkan stepped forward and took the book from Sonea's grasp.

"How do you know?" he demanded. "Did you read it? Did you?" he added, looking at Melissa. She numbly shook her head.

"Neither of us read it," Sonea said.

At that moment, the door opened and Garrel, the Head of Warriors, walked in.

"Forgive me my tardiness," he said to the room. "Urgent little matter with one of my students-"

"It doesn't matter, Garrel," said Osen. "Please take a seat. We just started a very serious discussion. I'm sure you will want to be a part of it."

Garrel sat down, casting a questioning look at Melissa as he did so. She swallowed as Sonea continued, "Melissa went to meet her friend Harrel in the slums this morning. He had sent her an urgent message requesting a meeting and she complied."

All the magicians present stared at Melissa. She felt her face heat up as she said "Well, Harry-I mean Harrel-" Garrel smiled derisively, "met me at the Merry Magician bolhouse (Peakin frowned at the name) and he…" She finished her story as fast as she could and took a deep, calming breath.

The Higher Magicians all looked startled and worried. They gazed at the book sitting on the table between Osen and Balkan. The latter picked it up and seemed about to rifle through its pages, then stopped himself. He handed it to Sonea who took it reluctantly and was just about to open it when Lady Vinara stood up.

"Wait," she said sharply. "According to Melissa, that book contains more than basic black magic. There is no need for you to know more than you do, Sonea. Don't read it."

"But if she doesn't, how will we know if it is about black magic?" asked Peakin. "The Thief might have believed it to be so, but we cannot be certain unless one of us reads it. And how could a Thief know how to recognize black magic anyway?"

"I don't know," Sonea admitted.

"I do, my lord," said Melissa. All eyes turned towards her again. She told them Savara's story, omitting the part about her relationship with Cery. When she finished, Director Jerrik was shaking his head and Garrel was scowling.

"Just like a Sachakan to reveal dangerous secrets to a man she barely knows," he sneered. "I wonder how many other people she has told?"

"None, my lord," said Melissa. "She only told Cery because they were-friends."

"Friends?" Peakin repeated, scowling. "A Thief with a Sachakan magician for a friend? This needs looking into, I think," he said to Balkan.

As the High Lord started to nod, Melissa hastily said, "No, my lord! Ceryni hasn't seen Savara since then, nor has he made any contact with her, or she with him." She waited with bated breath as Balkan thought. All the Higher Magicians were looking at the High Lord.

He finally said "I believe you, Melissa, as does everyone else here." Garrel gave a small, disbelieving snort. Osen glanced sharply at him. "However, rules dictate that in this kind of situation we must perform a truth-read. Will you consent?"

Melissa nodded. "I will, my lord."

Balkan looked around at the assembled crowd. "Who will perform the truth-read?"

Rothen and Osen both rose. Balkan looked at them both, then nodded at Osen who walked towards Melissa. He gave her a smile as he placed his hands on her temples.

_-Show me the room of your mind._

Immediately, Melissa called it up- a larger, airier version of her bedroom. She opened the door. Standing outside was Osen. She took his hand and pulled him in.

"Melissa," he said, "I want you to show me all your memories of this morning."

She nodded and led him to a painting which filled up an entire wall. She showed him everything that had happened from the moment Takan delivered the message to her at the breakfast table till she said good-bye to Harry and Gol. She felt a slight wave of surprise and annoyance from Osen as he watched how she treated the waitress.

"Mama spoke to me about that earlier," she said. "It's under control."

The Osen at her side nodded, then exited through the door. Opening her eyes, Melissa saw the real Osen draw his hands away from her head. He turned to face the room.

"Everything she said is true," he announced. There was a stir.

Sonea smiled at Melissa. "Is that all Melissa will be needed for, High Lord?"

Balkan nodded. Sonea turned to her daughter. "Then you can go. Finish those books so we can discuss them over dinner."

"All right, Mama," grinned Melissa. She respectfully bowed to all the magicians before leaving the house.

The sun still hadn't set by the time she reached the Magicians' Quarters. She strolled inside and went to her mother's apartments. She crashed herself down on the couch in the guestroom and reluctantly picked up one of the two books on the sumi table in front of her and started to read.

After a few minutes of fruitlessly trying to absorb the information in it, she picked up both books and took them to her room instead. There also she didn't make any progress with the first book so she gave it up as a bad job and reached for the second.

As she randomly flicked through the pages looking for something interesting to read, a small black book fell out of it onto her lap. Melissa picked it up in confusion and opened it at the first page. Excitement coursed through her as she recognized her mother's familiar handwriting. She was about to read the first line when a thought stopped her.

_It looks like a diary. Maybe I shouldn't read it. Mama wouldn't want me to know her private thoughts._

Sighing heavily, she was about to set it aside when she saw the date. Her heart jumped when she saw it was only a few weeks after Akkarin's death.

_Mama must have written about that!_ Without further ado she yanked the diary open and started reading the first entry.

At first, Sonea seemed to have written only about the five days of terror and death known as the Ichani Invasion. She described it without much detail and Melissa was getting frustrated when she reached the final passage.

_Akkarin is dead,_ it began. Melissa jerked up and began to read avidly. _Kariko hid his dagger in the earth and when our shield went over it it went straight into Akkarin's chest. He wouldn't let me heal him but made me use my power on the Ichani. It wasn't enough to deal with all three of them so Akkarin gave me his last bit of power. I killed the last man then turned to Akkarin. His eyes were empty. When I searched his body for power there was nothing. He had given me everything. I had killed him._

The entry ended there. The last word was barely discernible because it had been almost smudged away. Now that Melissa looked closer, there were other places where the ink had run. They had been smudged by the tears Sonea shed as she wrote the last paragraph.

Melissa's own eyes burned and she blinked. _You didn't kill him, Mama,_ she thought. A hot surge of anger coursed through her. _The Ichani did. He knew what would happen if he gave you his power. He did it because he wanted you to be safe._

Brushing away the tears that had formed, she turned to the next page and read on. The next few entries, spaced several weeks apart, spoke of Kyralia's efforts to recover, the King's new policies concerning the Thieves in particular, the Guild's steady recruiting of children from the merchants' families and the construction of the new hospital in the slums. Sonea had written little about herself, only that she had been accepted back into the Guild and would be called Black Magician.

Melissa turned over to a new page. The entry had been written about four months after Akkarin's death.

_I'm- I can't write the word. I told Jonna and Rothen yesterday and now Dorrien knows too. I asked Jonna to come live with me to help me and she's bringing Ranel and my cousins next week. I'm really scared. I didn't plan for this. I'm not ready to be a mother. Even with Jonna's help I don't think I can cope. I wonder what Akkarin would say if he knew. I wish he were here. I need him so badly, more than I need this baby. I didn't ask for it, after all._ A cold chill passed through Melissa's heart. _I don't think I even want it, though I asked Jonna for help. This baby will always only remind me of Akkarin, of how he died and I survived, something I hate myself for doing. It'll look like him, I'm sure, and will only be a reminder of our time together. And that's something I'd rather forget since it can never be again. No, I definitely don't want this baby, I'd rather lose it because then I won't always remember Akkarin died. Also the child will be proof of our time together. While my friends and family have understood, I worry how everyone else will react. This could be bad for both Akkarin's name and mine. If only he were here, then we could get married and I could accept our child and actually be proud to call it mine._

The entry ended there. The diary thudded to the floor as Melissa stood up and backed away from it. She couldn't believe what she had just read. Her mother didn't want her.

She felt light-headed with shock and swayed. Her knees gave way and she tumbled down onto the carpet. She buried her face in it as deep, raw sobs threatened to burst through her windpipe and out of her mouth. She was blinded by tears which she valiantly held back. Taking deep breaths to hold off her crying, she stared at the diary. Then, with a cry that sounded more like a gasp, she kicked it under the bed and ran out of the room, slamming the door shut behind her. She did the same with the guestroom door. There was nobody in the corridor outside. She sprinted down it and jumped down the staircase four steps at a time. Hurtling along the corridor downstairs, she banged right into a tall figure wearing red Warrior robes. She bounced away from it and lost her balance. She would have fallen if two hands hadn't gripped her shoulders.

"You might want to watch where you're going," a man's voice chided. Melissa recognized it instantly.

"Lord Regin," she said, hastily backing away and bowing. "Forgive me and thank you for catching me. Excuse me please, I need to go-"

"Is something wrong?" asked Regin, a trace of concern in his voice. Melissa glanced away from him, terrified her eyes would betray her.

"No, my lord," she said, thankful her voice didn't shake. "But I must go- please-"

"All right," said Regin, stepping aside. Melissa could sense his eyes boring into her as she passed him and went out through the back door.

Once outside, she started running again, past the baths and the road leading to the servants' quarters, into the forest and up to the clearing where the spring began. Exhausted, she threw herself down onto the grass verge and lay panting.

The sun had finally set and twilight was rolling in, the first stars glimmering dimly in the sky above her. Others soon started filling up the space in the black vastness until the sky looked like a blanket sprinkled with silver glitter. As Melissa stared up at it, her own insignificance in comparison to the universe caught up with her. Insignificant… unwanted… the hurt rose up in her again, the shock, the anger and foremost the wretchedness. She tried to stop the crying but this time it was impossible. It didn't matter anyway. There was no danger of anyone hearing or seeing her weakness this time. She sobbed until she could cry no more and lay there in the darkness as if dead. For the tears had brought a headache, the headache tiredness and the tiredness finally sleep.


	4. Black Magic

Melissa blinked her eyes open. Although what she saw was the familiar ceiling of her bedroom, it felt wrong. She wondered why; then the events of the last evening came flooding back to her. The last thing she remembered was the stars seeming to fade as her eyes began to close. How then had she got here?

She sat bolt upright in bed and flung the covers off herself. The noise her feet made as they struck the carpet was unusually loud; so loud, the door opened and someone peered in. Melissa barely stopped herself from recoiling; the person was her mother who immediately entered the room.

"Melissa," she said gladly. "I was hoping you would wake up soon." Sonea's hair was tousled and she was still in her nightclothes. She looked like she had been up half the night. She took Melissa into her arms and hugged her tightly. "I was so worried when I got back and you weren't here. Takan said he didn't see you at all. I sent out a mental call. Why didn't you answer me?"

"I fell asleep," mumbled Melissa, disentangling herself from her mother's arms.

"Why by the stream?" asked Sonea. "Why did you go there, darling?"

Melissa turned sharply as she remembered something. "Who found me there?" she demanded.

"Regin," replied Sonea. "I asked all the magicians to help find you and Regin tracked you to the stream and carried you back here."

Melissa turned back to the window, her question having been answered.

"Are you all right, Melissa?" inquired Sonea when no further words came from her. "You seem white. Are you sick?"

"No, I'm not," Melissa said even as her mother pressed a hand to her forehead to check her temperature.

"It's high," Sonea confirmed. 'You're staying in bed today, understand? No moving about at all. And don't bother finishing these," she added, picking up the two history books from the nightstand.

The sight made Melissa panic. The diary was in one of those! But she just as soon relaxed as she remembered kicking it under the bed. Forcing herself to accept one last kiss from her mother, she climbed back into bed and huddled into a ball under the covers. Sonea checked her temperature again, frowned, then sent some Healing energy into Melissa's body. It did little for the raging fever that was starting to consume her. Her lack of food and the shock of the night before coincided with it and she fainted clean away right in front of Sonea's horrified eyes.

"How is she?" asked Rothen, taking a sip of sumi. It was a Freeday morning almost a week later and he was sharing a drink with Sonea in her rooms. Melissa was asleep in her bedroom. After her fainting spell she had had barely enough strength to move and kept throwing up everything she took in, including water. Sonea had been nearly crazed with fear and even Vinara had been worried. Dorrien, Rothen's son, had asked for constant updates on Melissa's condition. He cared for her deeply, as she was the daughter he might have had if Akkarin hadn't taken Sonea hostage. During her early years the two of them had been inseperable, playing, laughing and talking. When Dorrien had been asked to return to the village he had served before the Ichani Invasion, Melissa had been inconsolable. She had wept bitterly after he left, soon after she turned five, and nothing Sonea nor Rothen nor Osen did could comfort her.

"Much better," replied Sonea and Rothen came back to the present. "She just stopped vomiting and and the fever went down immediately. I said that she'd be able to go out this afternoon. You'd better tell Dorrien," Sonea added with a quick smile.

"I will," Rothen promised ruefully. "Tell Melissa not to make a habit of falling ill because I don't think I could take another set of interrogations like that."

"I'll pass it on," grinned Sonea.

Someone knocked on the door. Takan opened it. Standing outside was Harry.

"Sonea," he said, practically tumbling into the room, "can I please speak to Melissa? It's-"

He saw Rothen and stopped short. Rothen smiled and gestured with his free hand. "Don't let me stop you."

"Right," said Harry, looking slightly preoccupied. "Well, can I speak to Melissa, Sonea? I'll make it quick. It's urgent."

"She's still asleep, Harry," said Sonea. "If you wa-"

"I'm up," said a familiar voice behind them. Rothen turned and there was Melissa, still looking rather pale and very fragile, as if a puff of wind would blow her away like a feather. Her eyes seemed to have sunk deeper into their sockets but they were still bright. She walked over to stand behind Harry. "I'll be back soon," she said to Sonea and Rothen. Giving Rothen a nod and a smile, she walked out of the room followed by Harry.

Sonea sighed as the door closed behind them. She waited until Takan had collected the breakfast tray and gone before saying "I'm worried about Melissa, Rothen."

Rothen cast a questioning look at her. "Because of her illness? But she seems fine now."

"I'm not talking about that," said Sonea. "Though it might have been the cause, but I'm not so sure. Melissa just seems different."

"How so?" Rothen asked.

Sonea shrugged. "Tiny differences, really hard to notice. She always looks everyone in the eye when she talks but these past few days she's hardly looked at me at all. And she doesn't want to speak to anyone and especially not to me. I don't know what to make of it." Sonea rested her forehead on her hand. "I'm worried that there's something going on that's affecting her and I need to know what it is in case it's having a bad effect on her. But I can't without asking and she won't welcome that. I don't know what to do."

"I don't think you should overly concern yourself, Sonea," said Rothen gently. "She's a teenager now and teenagers, girls especially, go through a lot of changes. It would be best to just keep an eye on her. But don't let her think you're spying or there will be trouble."

Sonea smiled at him. "Thank you, Rothen. I'll do that."

"So you're all better then?" Harry asked as they walked along in the direction of the gardens. They passed a lone novice going in the opposite direction. The novice waved at Melissa and she waved back, although somewhat distractedly. This made Harry feel more cheerful, therefore more patient and he repeated the question.

"Yeah," said Melissa. "It was just viral flu, I'm fine now. But why did you come here, Harry? We were going to meet this afternoon anyway."

"Da," replied Harry. "He wanted to hear only from you what happened to the book, and as soon as possible, so I came."

"The Higher Magicians held a meeting about it," said Melissa. "I just told them how I got it, Osen did a truth-read and I was told to Mama told me that they had stashed the book away with all the other black magic objects. Only she, Balkan, Osen and Vinara know where it is. Well," Melissa smiled mischievously, "that's what they think."

"What do you mean?" demanded Harry, stopping short. A few magicians turned up walking along the path. Harry and Melissa bowed as they passed, then she tugged him along on their way.

"I know the place," she whispered. "In one of the passages under the University. There's a little opening in a wall and they've buried the chest in that. I found it when I was exploring the passages. Fortunately, Balkan doesn't roam them like Akkarin used to."

"And your ma doesn't know you know?" said Harry incredulously. Melissa shook her head. "Wow. How many more things have you been keeping secret?"

"A lot," said Melissa. Her voice suddenly seemed dull. Harry turned to look at his friend. Although he was a full head taller than her, she suddenly seemed much older than him, something that normally wasn't noticeable. He remembered that she was only a few months away from turning fourteen, after which she would join the Guild. He wondered how that would change things between them. He would have to start calling her 'my lady' in company and bow once she became a fully fledged magician. That is, if he ever saw her again. His father, after all, didn't trust the Guild. Although he claimed that he and Sonea retained the friendship of their youth, they hadn't seen each other in years. Harry knew that Cery still considered Sonea a friend but that didn't seem much point when they never even contacted each other. Harry fervently hoped that would never happen to him and Melissa. The idea of losing his best friend caused him a pang in his chest.

They reached the stables where Harry's horse, Leeza, was brought out to him. Before mounting her he hugged Melissa goodbye. Normally she would have returned it but now she stood still in his embrace. He let go and gazed at her, puzzled; she gave him a quick grin and, reassured, he climbed up onto Leeza's back and rode out of the Guild gates.

Melissa waved to her friend until he was out of sight. Then she turned around and started back to the Magicians' Quarters. She opened the door to her apartments to find her mother alone; Rothen had left. Sonea looked up from the book she was reading, smiled and gestured to the table where a dish of savoury breads had been put, along with a mug of raka. Melissa wordlessly sat down and began to eat her breakfast. Sonea didn't go back to her book, just sat next to Melissa, waiting for her to finish. As Melissa drained her mug to the dregs, Sonea said, "I'm going to the dwells' hospital now. I'll be there till sundown. Afterward I need to meet Lord Larkin to discuss new plans for a new slum hospital so I probably won't be back until dinnertime. Will you be alright till then?"

"Yep," muttered Melissa.

"What are you going to do?" asked Sonea.

"I'm going to meet Harry," Melissa replied, eyes fixed on the crumbs on her plate.

Sonea leant forward and took Melissa's chin in her hand and raised it. She seemed about to say something; but she didn't, instead planting a kiss on Melissa's cheek before getting up from the table. She pulled on a cloak just as there was a knock on the door. Melissa opened it. A gaggle of magicians stood outside, waiting to escort Sonea to the slums. She stood aside as her mother went out, then shut the door. She went into her bedroom and flung herself onto the bed. Her little finger pressed down on the spot where Sonea had kissed her. Melissa remembered the surprised look on Harry's face when she hadn't hugged him. Because of her mother. If her own mother could lie to her, then someone who claimed to be a friend could too. Melissa knew for certain that she'd never trust anyone again. Was everybody lying to her then? Did no one care?

Melissa suddenly shook herself irritably. _This is crazy,_ she thought. _Just because-she-wrote that about me doesn't mean everybody just hates me. That diary seems more like a dream now. A nightmare, that_ _was all. I must have fallen asleep over one of those books._ Why, then, did she remember so vividly the way her heart had thumped at what she had just read, running away as fast as her legs could take her and crying herself to sleep by the stream?

She brushed some hair out of her eyes. _Woah,_ she suddenly thought. _If it was a dream then the diary_ _isn't real._ A feeling of fear crept over her as she remembered kicking it under the bed. She hadn't seen it since that night. All she needed to do was look under the bed… a cold foreboding took over her heart but she pushed it away. She craned her neck over the edge.

Lying in the gloom was the distinct shape of a book. Reaching out a trembling hand, Melissa picked it up. The book automatically opened at the end of the fateful entry. She went to the beginning and started reading it again. When she finished, she put a piece of paper at the beginning and closed the book. She felt no great wave of shock this time, or horror, disbelief or misery that had completely consumed her last time. There was only a feeling of resignation. _So it's true then._

Getting up, she opened the wardrobe door and placed the diary between two shirts she wore for special occasions. Closing and locking the door behind her, she went out of the apartment and walked down through the gardens to the University. Since it was a Freeday, she knew there wasn't much fear of anyone seeing her. Director Jerrik was sure to be in his office and she could easily avoid any servants who might be cleaning the building. Using a few shortcuts she reached a corridor which had one life-size painting of an Alchemist hanging on one wall. She swung it aside to reveal one of the secret passages that led under the University.

Stepping into the gloom, she let the painting swing back into place behind her, plunging her into complete darkness. This didn't worry her for she had explored the tunnels so thoroughly she could make her way through them anywhere, even without a light. Her sense of direction had always been good; she now let it guide her through the rocky tunnels for what seemed like hours until she reached a point where they widened out into a sort of clearing. When she wanted to be certain of not being found this was where she came. She sat down on a rock and brooded on the diary's words. Certain phrases drifted into her thoughts: _I definitely don't want this baby… This baby will always only remind me of Akkarin… I need him more than I need this baby…I'd rather lose it…The child will be proof of our time together…If only he were here, then we could get married and I could accept our child and actually be proud to call it mine._

She jumped to her feet and paced about agitatedly. "How could she have written that?" she suddenly screamed, and punched the rock wall. All it gave her was a burning pain in her fingers, but Melissa was too incensed to care. Roaring inside her was the rage she had been suppressing all week. It was so unfair! Her mother hadn't even given Melissa a chance. She had simply stated, boldly, I don't want this baby. She hadn't waited to see how Melissa would turn out, she had just coldly rejected her before she was even born. She didn't care for Melissa at all. Her love all these years had been a charade, an act. None of it had been genuine.

_And I loved her!_ Melissa shrieked mentally. _All this time I thought I was only returning it but actually I was the only one giving it. All wasted on her. She's never loved me. She loves only Akkarin. She wants only him. Well, I wish that he hadn't died, and I had never been born, then all of us would be happy. I_ _definitely do not want the two of_ them _for parents. Even if Akkarin had lived, Sonea still wouldn't love_ _me because all she cares about is_ HIM!

Then a new thought came to her. Its notion first chilled her; then she brooded on it. _Why don't I just run_ _away?_ She walked up and down as she thought about it. _Yeah, why not? It'll be a blessing on both of us._ _She won't even miss me. Though Rothen probably will._ Her heart panged. _So will Dorrien. Wait, I could_ go _live with Dorrien!_ He _loves me._ A doubt crept into her thoughts. _Or does he?_ She thrust it away. _Even if he does, he'll just make me go back to Sonea._ With relish, Melissa realized that she was already thinking of her mother not as Mama but Sonea. They were already growing apart, the bonds between them breaking, even if Sonea didn't realize it yet. Or maybe she did. After all, she was smart. It didn't make any difference though. _No, I can't go to Dorrien. He'll never let me stay with him. He'll ask questions. I'm not going to tell anyone about the diary. That's my secret. It'll be best to just go. I'll leave Kyralia. They'll find me if I stay here. I'll disguise myself and go to Elyne or Vin and make a living there somehow._

The prospect was daunting, but doable. Melissa came to a stop and rested her hand against the wall. It wasn't there and her hand went through thin air, making her stumble. She caught herself and looked around; unknowingly, immersed in her thoughts, she had come to the place where the chest containing the books on black magic was hidden.

A savage smile lit up her features. _What do I care what Sonea thinks about black magic?_ she thought. _I'll do whatever she doesn't like. After all, I'm not going to become a magician now. It won't matter me knowing black magic. It's not like I'll use it. Or be able to._ She remembered being told how Lord Sarrin, the former Head of Alchemy, had failed to learn black magic from the ancient books, necessitating Sonea and Akkarin's return to become Kyralia's saviours.

A brainwave came to her. _But maybe I can learn._ _I could go to Sachaka and become one of their black magicians. That's perfect! I've already got my powers awakened. _Like Sonea, Melissa's powers had been strong enough to develop on their own. Sonea had lost no time teaching her Control. Yet another ruse to show the world she cared, of course. _But first I'd better prove my worth. They'll be impressed if I already know black magic. Which means I'd better start reading._

Without further ado, she dug up the chest using her fingers and flung open the lid. Her eyes alighted on the topmost book, a familiar leather bound volume. _That first,_ she thought, reaching for it. Tucking it into her jacket pocket, she closed the chest's lid and went off to find some light. She'd come back for the other books later.


End file.
